Jet fuel synthesis in hydrocracking of Fischer–Tropsch product over Pt-loaded zeolite catalysts prepared using microemulsions

In order to design an economical biomass-to-liquid (BTL) process, effective jet fuel production from Fischer–Tropsch (FT) product was investigated under the following conditions: temperature 250 °C, initial H2 pressure 1 MPa, and reaction time 1 h, using Pt-loaded zeolite catalysts with a low Pt content (0.1 wt.%). First, a screening study was performed to determine the hydrocracking performance on n-C28H58 and n-C36H74 of various Pt-loaded zeolite catalysts prepared using an impregnation method. Pt-loaded β-type zeolite catalysts with Pt particle sizes of 2.3–13.1 nm and higher acid amounts led to high jet fuel yields. Pt-loaded β-type zeolite catalysts with the different loaded Pt particle sizes were prepared using microemulsions. The effect of Pt particle size on hydrocracking behaviors of the FT product was investigated using Pt-loaded β-type zeolite catalysts with Pt particle sizes of 2.3–14.8 nm with constant Pt content, acid amount, and pore parameters. Under the experimental conditions employed for the present study, the maximum jet fuel yield was 29.1 C-mol% with Pt particle size 7.6 nm.